A bill that would ban nearly all abortions in South Dakota and spark a challenge to the U.S. Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision is heading to Governor Mike Rounds for his signature. Planned Parenthood, which operates the only clinic performing abortions in South Dakota, has pledged to challenge the measure in court if Gov. Rounds signs it into law.

Gov. Rounds' signature would mark the first time since the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion nationwide that a state legislature has passed such a sweeping ban. The bill, known as H.B. 1215, makes abortion illegal except to save the life of the mother.

The bill was sponsored in the House by Rep. Roger Hunt, a Republican, and in the Senate by Sen. Julie Bartling, a Democrat. The bill states that "life begins at the time of conception …" and that "under the Constitution of South Dakota, a pregnant mother and her unborn child …each possess a natural and inalienable right to life."

The legislators went through the proper legislative channels to pass the law, and did not depend on an activist judge to make law like the pro-abortion supporters do.

Please forward this important alert to family and friends. More than 47 million abortions have been performed in the 33 years since the Roe v. Wade decision and this could signal new hope for the unborn child.